15-Day Cairo, Nile Cruise, Abu Simbel, Luxor & Red Sea Tour

On arrival at Cairo International Airport, we arrange a private transfer to your hotel in central Cairo, typically 22 km (about 45 minutes) from the airport depending on traffic. After hotel check-in and time to rest, you have an evening two-hour dinner cruise on the Nile departing from the Gezira or Zamalek docks, with views of Cairo's riverside district.

Your Egyptologist will meet you the following morning for the itinerary brief. We do not schedule large coach arrival gatherings; transfers are private and timed to your flight.

Morning visits start at the Giza Plateau with the Khufu, Khafre and Menkaure pyramids and the Great Sphinx. Your English-speaking Egyptologist explains ancient quarrying and construction techniques, then you continue to Saqqara to walk around the Step Pyramid of Djoser and the Imhotep complex, and on to the ruins of ancient Memphis; expect uneven stone and short stair sections.

Sightseeing is paced with a midday lunch break at a nearby restaurant. Lunch, entrance fees and transport are included.

Morning drive along the Mediterranean coast, then a morning visit to the Catacombs of Kom El Shoqafa with your Egyptologist, exploring 2nd-century AD funerary halls. After lunch, see Pompey's Pillar, a 27.5-meter granite column close to the Serapeum site, followed by Qaitbay Citadel, the 15th-century fortress on the eastern harbour.

Late afternoon at the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, opened in 2002, where your guide explains the modern reading rooms and archaeological displays. Unlike rushed cruise-boat shore visits, this day allows longer time at each Alexandria site for photographing and reading displays.

You spend the morning at the Grand Egyptian Museum, about four hours with your guide, with entry and transport included, to see the Tutankhamun exhibition and the Khufu solar boat. You then transfer to Cairo airport and fly to Aswan, with the flight arranged around the airline schedule, and meet your Egyptologist for a guided visit to the Aswan High Dam, completed in 1970.

Next is the northern granite quarry to see the Unfinished Obelisk, originally intended to be about 42 meters long. After lunch you cross to Agilkia Island for Philae Temple, relocated there between 1972 and 1980. Late afternoon you check in to the Nile cruise for your overnight stay, while your Egyptologist briefs the evening plan.

Early morning transfer to Abu Simbel, 280 km south of Aswan, takes about 3.5 hours by road. You arrive mid-morning for a guided visit to the Great Temple of Ramses II and the nearby Temple of Nefertari, both relocated above the original site during the 1960s and listed by UNESCO in 1979.

Your Egyptologist explains the 1960s relocation and the temples' solar alignment, then you have time to walk the forecourt and interiors. Afternoon return to Aswan by private vehicle, arriving late afternoon for your overnight stay in Aswan.

Morning visit to Kom Ombo, the double temple dedicated to Sobek and Horus the Elder, where your Egyptologist explains the unique paired chapels and the surgical instruments reliefs. After lunch you transfer to Edfu for an afternoon guided tour of the Ptolemaic Temple of Horus, constructed between 237 and 57 BCE, including the well-preserved inner sanctuary.

Timings are relaxed to allow photography and short walks on uneven stone; expect a mid-afternoon return to the Nile accommodation for an evening at leisure.

Morning visit to Karnak Temple with your Egyptologist, then an evening visit to Luxor Temple. At Karnak you walk through the Hypostyle Hall, a 19th Dynasty enlargement completed under Ramses II; expect uneven ancient stone and some steps.

After a midday break, return to the city for a late-afternoon stroll along the Avenue of Sphinxes, arriving at Luxor Temple for a guided visit around sunset when the lighting reveals the reliefs. We schedule Karnak in the morning to avoid the hottest hours, unlike operators who visit after lunch.

Morning visit to the Valley of the Kings, the New Kingdom royal burial ground. Your Egyptologist leads you through selected tombs, explaining hieroglyphic scenes and burial architecture. Late morning you walk the terraces of Hatshepsut's mortuary temple at Deir el-Bahari, built for Queen Hatshepsut in the 15th century BCE.

In the late afternoon you pause at the Colossi of Memnon, the two 18th Dynasty statues that once flanked Amenhotep III's mortuary complex. We schedule the West Bank visits early to avoid peak heat and larger coach groups.

After breakfast you leave Luxor for the Red Sea coast, departing mid-morning. We arrange a private, air-conditioned transfer along the Eastern Desert route; the road distance is about 290 km, a drive of roughly four hours including one comfort stop. Your driver delivers you to your Hurghada hotel for an afternoon arrival and independent time on the shore.

This overland transfer gives more time at the resort than a return flight would, and our drivers are experienced with the road and checkpoints between Luxor and the Red Sea governorate.

Morning snorkelling excursion to Giftun Island Marine Park in the Red Sea. We collect you from your Hurghada hotel at 07:30 for a 30–40 minute boat ride to the island; your guide explains reef ecology and safe snorkelling practice. Expect two snorkel stops, swimming among hard corals and reef fish such as parrotfish and clownfish.

Return to Hurghada mid-afternoon, around 15:30, leaving time to rest at the hotel or explore the Corniche. Unlike many operators who start later, we begin early to avoid the strongest sun and the busiest boats.

Morning at leisure in Hurghada, with an optional 09:00 boat excursion to Giftun Island for snorkelling over the Giftun Marine Protected Area. Your guide explains local reef ecology and safe snorkel practices, while the afternoon is free for the Hurghada Marina or a short transfer to El Gouna (approximately 25 km, 30–40 minutes by road).

We arrange optional scuba dives and a sunset quad-bike ride on request. Unlike snorkel trips run from neighbouring towns, our departures aim for earlier starts to avoid the strongest sun and busiest bays.

Morning pickup at 08:00 from your Hurghada hotel, then a 25 km transfer into the Eastern Desert along the Red Sea coast. After a safety briefing you ride a 1.5–2 hour quad route on marked desert tracks, with coastal viewpoints and low dunes. Your local guide explains desert flora and Bedouin livelihoods while you stop for photos and a short rest.

We provide helmets and a basic riding tutorial; group sizes are kept small to improve safety compared with larger beach operators.

Morning domestic flight from Hurghada to Cairo, arriving in time for a morning visit to the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir Square, where your Egyptologist points out the Tutankhamun collection and New Kingdom highlights. After lunch you explore the Cairo Citadel and Mohamed Ali Mosque, with views over Islamic Cairo.

Late afternoon visit to the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization, then a guided walk along Al Muizz Street ending at Khan El Khalili bazaar for evening shopping and tea. Unlike late arrivals, the morning flight gives time for both major museums in one day.

Morning: meet your Egyptologist at the hotel for a morning visit to the Egyptian Museum on Tahrir Square, where your guide highlights objects including the Tutankhamun collection. Late morning: transfer to the Citadel of Salah al-Din for a walk and an exterior view of the Mosque of Muhammad Ali. Afternoon: 90 minutes in Khan el-Khalili bazaar for shopping and a tea at a traditional café.

Evening: optional short visit to Coptic Cairo if time allows, including the Hanging Church. Transfer to your included hotel for the overnight stay.